


way down hadestown

by sinclairsmax



Category: Hadestown - Mitchell, Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, BUT ALSO HAPPY, F/M, Inspired by Hadestown, dustin as hermes is my life BLOOD, i'll get will in here u damn kno, sad shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-24 00:35:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20017360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sinclairsmax/pseuds/sinclairsmax
Summary: It's an old song, an old tale from way back when.It's an old tale. And we're gonna sing it again.She was known as Maxine on the mortal plane, in love with a young man named Lucas. However, he hid behind a mask, revealed as the King of Death, Hades himself, once that fateful kiss was put upon her lips. Maxine became queen, named Persephone, trapped between the two worlds and her ass of a husband.'Énteka', known to most as Eleven, or Eurydice, was a hungry young girl. Left in the cold, she ran and ran and ran for so many years she never remembered a time where she stood still. She was a survivor, stronger than the winds that brushed across the world in fateful blows. She was strong, but proud. Finally standing still, she finds herself stood in front of a young man.Michael, tall and thin, was a poor boy, sometimes known to the world as Orpheus. But he had a gift to give, as a poet. Saviour, attempting to bring back the spring with his heart on his sleeve and a red flower in hand.





	way down hadestown

A dim spotlight. A figure emerges from the darkness.

A man, with dark curls styled just so. Eyes glimmering, a mischievous smile on his face. The figure wore a grey suit, fitting to his stature. 

His presence illuminated the room more than a thousand candles, more than an erupting fire. 

He was known to the world as Hermes, or Dustin to his friends. Which was everybody.

**_Once upon a time there was a railroad line_ **   
**_Don't ask where, brother, don't ask when_ **   
**_It was a road to hell - no! it was hard times_ **   
**_It was a world of gods and men_ **

His eyes were electric, every moment smooth, yet chaotic. Animated. Alive.  
  
 ** _It's an old song_**  
 ** _It's an old tale from way back when_**  
 ** _It's an old song_**  
 ** _But we're gonna sing it again_**

The music begun to grow, swelling into a dance amongst the air and drunken people. Some of which, begun to hum and bop along to the infectious beat.  
  
 ** _Now on the road to hell there was a railroad line_**  
 ** _And there were three old women all dressed the same_**  
 ** _And they was always singin' in the back of your mind_**  
 ** _Everybody meet the fates!_**

Three woman swiftly exited from the shadows, looking out at the empty world around them. They were faceless and nameless, yet seeing them was akin to seeing an old acquaintance. Daunting yet too familiar. Three woman, poised in dark fabrics that was torn to rags yet styled perfectly around their bodies. Three woman who looked far wiser than their reflection said.

_**And on the road to hell there was a railroad line** _   
_**And a lady steppin’ off a train** _   
_**With a suitcase full of summertime** _   
_**Persephone, by name!** _

A beautiful woman, cheeks freckled and flushed, rushed into the light with a bright smile and a suitcase in hand which Hermes quickly took. Both Gods embraced, hugging tightly, friends for hundreds and thousands of years from when the Goddess came up top every year. Maxine, she was kind and a stunning spirit. No wonder everybody survived from her presence. 

Taking a flask from her green dress, she swigged the liquid from inside it, and begun to join the dancing and festivities. Dustin reached for his microphone once more, his grin clearly wider than before.

_**And if you ride that train,** _   
_**Ride that train** _   
_**Baby, ride that train to the end of the line,** _   
_**Where the sun don’t shine and it’s always shady** _   
_**It’s there you’ll end the King of the mine** _   
_**Oh mighty, Mister Hades!** _

The sound of his name sent a chill through the air. Maxine and Dustin's smiles faltered, as her gaze dropped to the ground. She was thankful he did not appear at the mention of his name, but she did love him. He was her husband, and a marriage was a marriage.   
Dustin's smile reappeared.  
  


_**We got any other Gods?** _   
_**Oh right, almost forgot.** _

Attention was centred on him once more.

_**On the road to hell, there was a railroad station**_  
 _ **And a man with feathers on his feet**_  
 _ **Who could help you to your final destination**_  
 __ **Mister Hermes, that’s me!**  
  
People cheered in rejoice, raising glasses and the dancing continued. The music grew so loud Dustin was sure the noise would break the walls beneath them. The party increased, Spring was upon them, and their host was encouraging the lawless excitement they all felt and bounced off.

_**See, someone got to tell the tale** _   
_**Whether or not it turns out well** _   
_**Maybe it will turn out this time** _   
_**On the road to hell, on the railroad line.** _

Persephone, Hermes, and the crowd present all knew this story, and it's tradition. It stung. But they all knew, for their lost friends, they must recite it again. With a sad sigh, they took another collective drink. The Fates, holding each other's hands, closed their eyes.

_**It’s a sad song**_  
 _ **It’s a sad song, it’s a tragedy.**_  
 _ **It’s a sad song.**_  
 __ **We’re gonna sing it anyway.**  
  
Gods, was it sour and sweet all at once. A wedding and a funeral. A heartbreak and a gain.

**_On a road to hell there was a railroad line_ **   
**_And a poor boy working on a song_ **   
**_This boy was a friend of mine_ **   
**_And this boy was a Muse's son._ **

His figure begun to slowly appear. Persephone and Hermes' sadness was breaking through their joint facade. The Fates conspired, and the sound of traintracks had morphed into the beat of their song.   
  
**_On a railroad line on the road to hell_**  
 ** _You might say the boy was.. touched._**  
 ** _Cus’ he was touched by the God’s themselves,_**  
 **** _Give it up, for Orpheus!  
  
_ A tear rolled down Dustin's cheek, smiling nonetheless. The Orpheus of the story walked from the shadows looking like the day he was last seen there, minus the sadness and sorrow. He was grinning, full of joy. He held his lyre loosely in one hand, wearing his trademark white shirt and suspenders. As ever, his dark hair was messy atop his head, as much as Hermes tried to tell hm to keep it neat. Michael never listened.

Everybody hated it. The pain, the anguish, their poor Orpheus stuck. But it had to happen. _Almost there_ , Hermes kept repeating, _almost done_.

**_There was one more soul on this road._**  
 ** _On the railroad line on the road to hell_**  
 ** _There was a young girl looking for something to eat_**  
 ** _And brother, thus begins the tale_**  
 ** _Of Orpheus, and Eurydice!_  
  
** The story begun to take hold, forcing them all back to the cycle. Those two Gods were thankful. They could forget it temporarily, they could forget this torturous tale and pray their tale will finally work out in the way it deserved to. The two loves stood, staring out at nothing. Hermes knew, if they were aware, that the two lovers would be embracing, sobbing into one another's shoulder and thanking the Gods that they were together, that their story was finally corrected.   
  
~~**But they're gonna sing it again.**~~


End file.
